1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the field of interactive software applications and in particular to methods for facilitating language translation of textual entries within interactive software applications. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for facilitating contextual language translation of textual entries within an interactive software application during actual execution of the application.
2. Description of the Related Art
The global nature of the world today has created an increased market for computer hardware and software applications which may be simply translated into a large number of foreign languages. Indeed, National Language Support (NLS) is increasingly important as the market for data processing systems is ever expanding. While the demands upon hardware systems are minimal and are often solved by the provision of a small number of special keyboard characters, the large textual content of many software applications leads to a more difficult problem.
The translation of a software application into a foreign language for utilization in a foreign market is generally accomplished utilizing a batch process wherein the text may be edited with a text editor. The resultant translation must then be verified with a simulation of the display screens of the software application or by executing the program after translation has occurred. Additional changes brought about by variations induced due to the contextual nature of a text entry or as a result of simple size differences between a textual entry in two different languages must then be edited in the batch process and the verification program repeated.
The simulation of computer program external interfaces in order to permit the interface to be evaluated prior to encoding the software is the primary method for creating an interactive software application in a foreign language. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,665, issued to Heath et al. and assigned to the assignee herein discloses a technique for the simulation of computer program external interfaces which is intended to permit users to evaluate the design and alter the display screens prior to committing to an encoding of the software code.
In view of the above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a translation technique wherein textual entries within an interactive software application might be examined in context during the translation process would greatly enhance the quality of the resultant translation. By observing the textual entries within the context of the display screen and by observing the physical limitations of the field or display area in which the textual entry is to be displayed, a translator may simply and efficiently create an optimal language translation for converting the textual entries of an interactive software application into a selected foreign language.